No space cadet, Irving sorts out his future

Cleveland Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving talks with a teammate in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks in Cleveland. Two people familiar with the situation says the All-Star guard has asked the Cavaliers to trade him.

Cleveland Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving talks with a teammate in the...

It’s just a rumor at this point, but reports indicate that Kyrie Irving has been signed up for astronaut training and will soon be launched into space. This will be a highly educational adventure for someone who believes the Earth is flat.

Wait a minute — Irving can’t be serious. It has to be an ongoing joke, Irving laughing heartily at the astonished reactions. Right?

Well, no. Irving hasn’t backed off his claim, and he recently told a CBS Sports podcast that “it’s OK to have your own thoughts and be able to convey them to other people. I’m telling you, it’s right in front of our faces. There is no concrete information except what they’re giving us. People are like, ‘No, he can’t believe this.’ But the truth is right there. You just got to go searching for it.”

Don’t worry, he won’t go too far in his travels. Get too close to the Earth’s edge, and you’ll fall right off.

Perhaps it’s no longer a mystery that Irving wants out of Cleveland, likely never again to play with LeBron James. The man has his own perspective on life. In an offseason that finds players seeking postseason relevance — Chris Paul to Houston, Paul George to Oklahoma City, the Warriors staying intact — Irving seems willing to drop completely out of the playoffs for the sake of his spectacular, individual self.

“Selfishly,” he told reporters, “I always wanted to show everyone in the whole world exactly who I was every single time.”

More from Bruce Jenkins

Apparently, it wasn’t good enough to play in three consecutive Finals, to hit the clutch three-pointer that buried the Warriors in 2016, to take more shots last season than James, or be entrusted by the great LeBron to fire the crucial shot over Klay Thompson (it misfired) near the end of this year’s Game 3.

No wonder
Chauncey Billups
backed off taking the Cavaliers’ general manager vacancy when he had the chance. Aside from the prospect of LeBron leaving for Los Angeles next summer, Billups was aware of Irving’s displeasure. “He’s been a beneficiary of having LeBron James, man,” Billups told Altitude Sports Radio. “That would be alarming to me if I was a team looking to get him, because if it’s all about winning, you’ve got a chance to win every single year. And not only that, you’re getting the ball still. You’re getting everything you want. ... Maybe he wants to be
Russell Westbrook
and go try to win the MVP and get
all
the shots.”

So many trade rumors are floating about, it’s ridiculous to speculate on Irving’s destination. But he has ticked off LeBron, who didn’t get a text or phone call while Irving was informing other Cleveland teammates of his trade demand. He has put a strain on trade negotiations by waiting this long, instead of announcing his intentions well before the draft. Unless a reconciliation is at hand, the definition of “awkward” would be Irving showing up at training camp with his focus many miles away.

James, it seems, has become an oddly sympathetic figure with the Cavaliers rudely firing general manager David Griffin, failing to acquire a big star (George, Jimmy Butler or Carmelo Anthony), making no moves to improve their shaky defense, and now forced to unload Irving. Maybe the pressure’s off right now, but wait until the season starts and LeBron faces a nightly bout with questions about his future. He’ll be right back under the microscope.

News from the throne

The Warriors are crushing people in the simple act of paperwork. On Tuesday, they sent out a press release announcing the official signings of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, David West, Shaun Livingston and Zaza Pachulia. Subtle message to the NBA: Deal with it. ... As he spends next season running the floor like a crazed gazelle, swatting away opponents’ shots and receiving perfect lob passes from teammates who can’t wait to make him look good, JaVale McGee won’t have a single regret about signing that minimum-salary deal. ... In a lively summer for international soccer teams showcasing their magnificence in America, the peak comes Saturday night when Barcelona faces Real Madrid in Miami. This will be the first time in 35 years that El Clasico, as it’s called, will be played outside of Europe, and it comes with considerable drama surrounding Neymar, the great Brazilian star. Barcelona was can’t-miss television this past season with Neymar teaming with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in glorious, unforgettable harmony (all three will be in Miami). But Neymar and his agents are in serious negotiations for a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, where he would team with Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria and Brazilian contemporaries Thiago Silva and Dani Alves. With its Qatar-based ownership, PSG is aiming to become one of the wealthiest clubs in the world and a Champions League winner for the first time. ... Don’t forget Ned Colletti’s influence as the Giants play at Dodger Stadium this weekend. The former Giants executive lost his GM job but wisely stayed on, and it was under his regime that the Dodgers drafted Clayton Kershaw, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson, signed Yasiel Puig and Justin Turner, and moved Kenley Jansen from catcher to pitcher (Colletti’s suggestion). ... Right field illustrates the stunning Giants-Dodgers contrast in a nutshell. Puig, considered an emotional liability, has been a sensational all-around player while Hunter Pence, just as solid as they come for years, can’t find his batting stroke. ... When the Cal baseball coaching job came open, Dusty and Melissa Baker hoped it would go to Mike Neu, who recruited their son, Darren, to the Bears’ program. They got their wish. ... At least one player saw the light: the Mets’ Yoenis Céspedes, who has spent the season fighting off hamstring and quad injuries, told the New York Post he wants to become “more flexible, less bulk, to be lighter. I need to do less weightlifting, do more yoga and stretching.” Wise man.